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| My Favourite Planet > English > Middle East > Turkey > Ephesus > photo gallery |
| Ephesus, Turkey |
Ephesus photo gallery 1 |
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The Herakles Gate, on Kuretes Street, Ephesus. |
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The "Herakles Gate"
The "Herakles Gate" marks the boundary between of Domitian Square and the top of Kuretes Street (see next page). It is named after the two marble pillars with reliefs of the mythical Greek hero Herakles (Ἡρακλῆς, Glory of Hera; known to the Romans as Hercules) which stand on either side of the narrow entrance. The pillars supported a marble arch decorated with reliefs of the victory goddess Nike, one of which has survived and is exhibited nearby (see gallery page 15).
The sculptures have been dated to the 1st - 2nd century AD, and are thought to have been reused from one or more other monuments in the 4th century AD. It is not known how the gateway appeared during the Roman Imperial period, as it was rebuilt and the entrance narrowed in late antiquity, making it inaccessible to wagon traffic. |
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The Herakles pillars of the Herakles Gate.
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| The high marble reliefs on the front of the two pillars are mirror images of each other. Each depicts a hip-herm of Herakles, that is a depiction of the divine hero from the hips upward standing on a square pillar (the shaft of the herm), itself standing on a high base. He is beardless, but has been given an archaistic hairstyle with rows of curls above his forehead (see archaistic herms of Hermes). The skin of the Nemean Lion is wrapped around his torso, with the head hanging in front of his stomach, and the forelegs hanging either side of the herm shaft. Above his head is a Corinthian anta capital. Total height of each pillar 263 cm. |
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A wooden ramp replaces the three steps leading up through the Herakles Gate. |
Photos, articles and map: © David John,
except where otherwise specified.
Additional photos: © Konstanze Gundudis
All photos and articles are copyright protected.
Images and materials by other authors
have been attributed where applicable.
Please do not use these photos or articles without permission.
If you are interested in using any of the photos for your website,
project or publication, please get in contact.
Higher resolution versions are available on request.
Some of the information and photos in this guide to Ephesus
originally appeared in 2004 on davidjohnberlin.de. |
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